"γιατί" και "επειδή"

Question

The words γιατί and επειδή, they both mean "because".  Is there any difference in their meaning?

Answer 1

As far as I am aware γιατί means 'why' and it is επειδή that means 'because'

I don't think they can be used the same - but I stand to be corrected.

Ιάκιβος

Answer 2

επειδή means "because"

Example:

Δεν ήρθα επειδή ήμουν άρρωστη. = I did not come because I was sick.

 

The main meaning of the word "γιατί" is "why".

Example:

Γιατί άργησες; = Why you were late?

 

γιατί also means because when we speak informally.

Example:

Δεν ήρθα γιατί ήμουν άρρωστη. = I did not come because I was sick. (γιατί here is more informal than επειδή in the sentence above.)

However, γιατί can not replace επειδή in the beginning of a sentence.

We can say "επειδή ήμουν άρρωστη δεν ήρθα", but we never say "γιατί ήμουν άρρωστη δεν ήρθα".

The only case that γιατί is used in the beginning of a sentence when it means because is only when we give a short answer straight after a question.

Example:

 - Γιατί δεν ήρθες; = Why you did not come?

 - Γιατί ήμουν άρρωστη. = Because I was sick.

But it is wrong to say:

 - Γιατί ήμουν άρρωστη δεν ήρθα.